Alignment Work
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Alignment Work
How did people do alignments before garages started getting that fancy equiptment.
My grandfather NEVER brought a car to a mechanic... he did everything himself. How would he have done an alignment?
I'd ask him, except he's dead...
My grandfather NEVER brought a car to a mechanic... he did everything himself. How would he have done an alignment?
I'd ask him, except he's dead...
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
I do all my own alignments but I spent the money and bought a caster/camber gage, a toe gage and a laser level. Made my own turning plates.
It is a labor of love , one that takes time but you can do a better job yourself IF you take the time?
The alignment shops are on a time schedule and if they get the car in specs that is good enough but one side can be on the low side and the other on the high side, both within specs but different.
It is a labor of love , one that takes time but you can do a better job yourself IF you take the time?
The alignment shops are on a time schedule and if they get the car in specs that is good enough but one side can be on the low side and the other on the high side, both within specs but different.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2002
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From: San Diego - Deep Within The State of CONFUSION!
Originally Posted by genuine1980
How did people do alignments before garages started getting that fancy equiptment.
My grandfather NEVER brought a car to a mechanic... he did everything himself. How would he have done an alignment?
I'd ask him, except he's dead...
My grandfather NEVER brought a car to a mechanic... he did everything himself. How would he have done an alignment?
I'd ask him, except he's dead...
Then of course you need a way to measure the alignment angles precisely. I have a hunch that what you remember your grandpa doing was simply a toe adjustment, which is NOT an alignment.
I did brake and front end repair/alignments for a living, back when I was a tech (in between building motors and doing heavy line work). Even though I know the suspension on my car like the back of my hand, I -*still*- pay to have my car aligned these days.
I just tell them how I want it done and what angles I want it set to . And they give me a computerized printout saying what they did so I can read their adjustments. I'm a tough customer sometimes
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 15,114
Likes: 3,905
From: Connecticut, USA
Finding a good shop is a problem, ie I lost track on how many vettes I worked on with bent rear strut rods!
I used a new place for 2 vettes this summer. The first car was done good and at a very fair price of $80. The second was not so good the rear camber was off by eye and the cost was up to $100. I plan on getting the tools like Norval said and give it a go myself. Now there is a good shop here that will align the car on the dime but they get $250 ashot. 2 alignments and I can pay for the tools and save the drive and wait.
I used a new place for 2 vettes this summer. The first car was done good and at a very fair price of $80. The second was not so good the rear camber was off by eye and the cost was up to $100. I plan on getting the tools like Norval said and give it a go myself. Now there is a good shop here that will align the car on the dime but they get $250 ashot. 2 alignments and I can pay for the tools and save the drive and wait.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by gtr1999
Finding a good shop is a problem, ie I lost track on how many vettes I worked on with bent rear strut rods!
I used a new place for 2 vettes this summer. The first car was done good and at a very fair price of $80. The second was not so good the rear camber was off by eye and the cost was up to $100. I plan on getting the tools like Norval said and give it a go myself. Now there is a good shop here that will align the car on the dime but they get $250 ashot. 2 alignments and I can pay for the tools and save the drive and wait.
I used a new place for 2 vettes this summer. The first car was done good and at a very fair price of $80. The second was not so good the rear camber was off by eye and the cost was up to $100. I plan on getting the tools like Norval said and give it a go myself. Now there is a good shop here that will align the car on the dime but they get $250 ashot. 2 alignments and I can pay for the tools and save the drive and wait.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by genuine1980
How do you bend a strut rod? I don't want that to happen to me.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
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From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by norvalwilhelm
The alignment shop does it to adjust camber. There is a heavily rusted cam bolt on the inner rear strut rods and if this does not move they just take a big pipe wrench or similiar tool and bend the strut rod to bring the camber into specs.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by genuine1980
How do you bend a strut rod? I don't want that to happen to me.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
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From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
I doubt if you can bend the strut without trying to do so. Once you start turning the adjusting bolt on the strut, you'll see how it moves the tire in and out. This movement is what adjusts your camber.
My problem is that I dont know how to get a 0 degree adjustment myself in the garage. I replaced the rod bushing and need to get it back to spec now. I can eyeball it, but thats prob not good enough.
I also think when I fixed the missing Snap ring in the diff and got the yoke to be all the way in the diff as it should be, that it threw the toe off on the respective wheel. The yoke was out of the diff around 1/4" before I replaced the snap ring. So now that it is in the diff all the way would that give me a toe out condition?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by genuine1980
Yea I know...
My problem is that I dont know how to get a 0 degree adjustment myself in the garage. I replaced the rod bushing and need to get it back to spec now. I can eyeball it, but thats prob not good enough.
I also think when I fixed the missing Snap ring in the diff and got the yoke to be all the way in the diff as it should be, that it threw the toe off on the respective wheel. The yoke was out of the diff around 1/4" before I replaced the snap ring. So now that it is in the diff all the way would that give me a toe out condition?
My problem is that I dont know how to get a 0 degree adjustment myself in the garage. I replaced the rod bushing and need to get it back to spec now. I can eyeball it, but thats prob not good enough.
I also think when I fixed the missing Snap ring in the diff and got the yoke to be all the way in the diff as it should be, that it threw the toe off on the respective wheel. The yoke was out of the diff around 1/4" before I replaced the snap ring. So now that it is in the diff all the way would that give me a toe out condition?
Last edited by Jud Chapin; Dec 5, 2006 at 11:56 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
The way I measure the camber is to use a level on the rim of the wheel being careful not to touch the tire. What I did is take a 3 ft. level and attach a straight piece of wood to it that just fits the rim. Then you just get your level to show the level vertical position and you've completed your alignment. It usually takes me several adjs. to get it right. This is a pita to do because you have to make your adj., then lower the car and move it several feet to obtain the proper setting. You keep doing this until it's right. Hope this helps!
But, why shouldn't I touch the tire? Could I load the suspension instead of raising and lowering the car?
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by genuine1980
That does help. This is what I was thinking of doing.
But, why shouldn't I touch the tire? Could I load the suspension instead of raising and lowering the car?
But, why shouldn't I touch the tire? Could I load the suspension instead of raising and lowering the car?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 851
Likes: 10
From: Palm City, FL
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
The tire is fatter at the bottom and that will throw off your reading. I don't know what you mean by loading the suspension.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by genuine1980
I mean instead of dropping the car to get the suspension to settle, can I jack the suspension up to make it like the car was on the ground?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 3,050
Likes: 2
From: Orange Ct
If you do a Google search for home done alignment you find several ways to do it. Eastwood has some inexpensive tools for the job. I did mine at home and took it to a shop to check it out and it was right on.
One trick is to get some floor tiles. Put some grease on one and place another on top of it. Lower the wheels onto this "sandwich" and it will allow the wheels to move as the adjustment is done.
One trick is to get some floor tiles. Put some grease on one and place another on top of it. Lower the wheels onto this "sandwich" and it will allow the wheels to move as the adjustment is done.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 156
From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
Originally Posted by I'm Batman
Get it close, then drive it to a good shop with a good tech and good equipment. There is no way a string is going to beat 0.xxx level accuracy.
. For a year after this wonderful alignment job the car acted funny whenever I would get heavy on the gas. I eventually got tired of fighting with it, so I bought a toe-in, camber, and caster gauge. Using them, some string, and some steel plates under the wheels I set my own alignment. Car drives straighter and more predictable than ever before.Oh yeah, you'll like this. The Chevy tech didn't take the time to put ALL the shims in the rear suspension and the front of the trailing arms were loose. When torque was applied, the arms would shift in the chassis. Nice job on his part, must have made his job alot easier.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 10,560
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From: Wellington, FL
St. Jude Donor '11 thru '25
Originally Posted by Jason Staley
Problem is where are the good shops any more? I went to the Chevy dealer in town that was suppose to have a "corvette technican" . For a year after this wonderful alignment job the car acted funny whenever I would get heavy on the gas. I eventually got tired of fighting with it, so I bought a toe-in, camber, and caster gauge. Using them, some string, and some steel plates under the wheels I set my own alignment. Car drives straighter and more predictable than ever before.
Oh yeah, you'll like this. The Chevy tech didn't take the time to put ALL the shims in the rear suspension and the front of the trailing arms were loose. When torque was applied, the arms would shift in the chassis. Nice job on his part, must have made his job alot easier.
. For a year after this wonderful alignment job the car acted funny whenever I would get heavy on the gas. I eventually got tired of fighting with it, so I bought a toe-in, camber, and caster gauge. Using them, some string, and some steel plates under the wheels I set my own alignment. Car drives straighter and more predictable than ever before.Oh yeah, you'll like this. The Chevy tech didn't take the time to put ALL the shims in the rear suspension and the front of the trailing arms were loose. When torque was applied, the arms would shift in the chassis. Nice job on his part, must have made his job alot easier.
If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that the more things you do for yourself, the better off you will be.4
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 65,492
Likes: 230
From: Orange Park Florida
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that the more things you do for yourself, the better off you will be.4
DAMN STRAIGHT, I have found the same thing out....the HARD way.....
nothing rong with a little learning...and doing....who knows?? you may wind up with an edjemakation.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 2,116
Likes: 156
From: Mid West
Cruise-In III Veteran
Originally Posted by Jud Chapin
If there is one thing I've learned over the years is that the more things you do for yourself, the better off you will be.4
Jason